http://www.sierraclub.org/pressroom/releases/pr2007-10-23.asp FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 23 October 2007CONTACT: Josh Dorner, Sierra Club, 202.675.2384Liz Hitchcock, U.S. PIRG, 202.546.9707Tony Iallonardo, Audubon, 202.861.2242, x3042Will Callaway, PSR, 202.667.4260, x224 Environmental Groups Offer Seven GuidingPrinciples for a New Energy PolicyNew Ad, Principles Provide Guidance for Congressional Actionon Energy, Global Warming Legislation (Washington, D.C.)-The Sierra Club, U.S. PIRG, National Audubon Society,and Physicians for Social Responsibility launched a new ad today outliningtheir seven key principles for new global warming and energy policies.These principles are meant to set a standard for Congress as it movesforward with landmark energy and global warming legislation to ensure billsthey pass actually make real and verifiable progress on stabilizing theclimate, improve the economy, keep and create jobs, benefit the public andreform the energy sector. In coming weeks, Congress has the opportunity to flip the switch onAmerica’s new energy future and make real progress in the fight againstglobal warming by passing a final energy bill that includes theSenate-passed 35 mile per gallon by 2020 fuel economy standard and theHouse-passed 15 percent by 2020 Renewable Electricity Standard. Theenvironmental community continues to work with members of both the Houseand the Senate to move a comprehensive energy bill toward final passagebefore the end of this session. In a sign of political progress, the Senate Environment and Public WorksCommittee’s relevant subcommittee will hold a hearing tomorrow on theAmerica’s Climate Security Act, introduced last week by Senators Liebermanand Warner. The groups applaud Senators Lieberman and Warner for puttingforward a bill that has helped to jumpstart meaningful Congressional debateon the issue. They look forward to working with Senators on theEnvironment and Public Works Committee to produce a final bill that is bothsufficiently strong to meet the challenge before us and is consistent withthe other principles outlined in detail below. The principles and the text of the ad are reproduced below. The ad itselfcan be found at:http://www.sierraclub.org/pressroom/media/ The Seven Principles of a New Energy Policy CONGRESS: As you craft legislation on energy policy and global warming, weask you to ensure that your legislation makes real and verifiable progresson stabilizing the climate, improves the economy, benefits the public andreforms the energy sector: Reform energy policy: New national energy policies should encourageefficiency, innovation, competition, and fairness. We need more aggressiveenergy efficiency policies for electricity and buildings, increased CAFEstandards like those passed by the Senate, and the renewable electricitystandard included in the House energy bill. Promote a clean energy future: Invest in energy efficiency and renewableenergy to create new industries and good jobs here at home. Cap and cut carbon emissions to science-based levels: Science tells us inorder to prevent the worst impacts of global warming we must start cuttingglobal warming pollution by 2012, with reductions in total U.S. greenhousegas emissions of at least 15 to 20 percent below current levels by 2020 and80 percent by mid-century. Use all public assets for public benefit: The value of carbon permitsshould benefit the public--through auctions or other mechanisms--notgenerate windfalls for polluting industries. Free allocations, if any, mustbe limited to a short transition period. Ensure a just transition: Allowances should be used to help finance a justtransition that keeps and creates jobs, reduces impacts on low-andmoderate-income citizens, and mitigates harm to affected workers andcommunities. Provide aid to adapt to an altered climate: Allowances should be used tohelp distressed and impoverished people around the world, as well aswildlife and ecosystems in the face of global warming’s varied threats. Manage costs without breaking the cap. "Safety valves" and other devicesthat break the cap on emissions must not be allowed. Any offsets must bereal, surplus, verifiable, permanent, and enforceable. CONGRESS: We must act quickly. But we don’t have ten years to get it wrongand then start over. Energy investments made today will still be in use inthirty and forty years. Carbon dioxide remains in the atmosphere forgenerations; the longer we wait, the more aggressive our actions will haveto be. The undersigned groups stand ready to work with sponsors and leadersin both Houses of Congress to achieve these critical objectives for a fair,safe, and sustainable future. 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